Update for Sunday, March 23

Mar 21, 2025 | C3 Updates

This week at C3

C3 Board Member Tabitha Blanski returns as Guest Teacher this Sunday with her contribution to Your Wild and Precious Life: Celebrating the Wisdom of the Feminine. She asks Can the Feminine Save Us?

We live in a world of turmoil. Traditional gender roles no longer apply—were we satisfied when they did? Our neighbors or even family members champion ideas we find ethically muddy at best. And happy 5th COVID anniversary, our communities are plagued by not only disease but also an epidemic of loneliness.

What happened to beauty pageants where the question “What is the most important thing our society needs?” could be easily answered by a beautiful woman with the words “world peace”? As the patriarchy crumbles (but refuses to go down without a fight), is the answer to put all of our hope into the feminine?

Jen Sygit, long-time C3 friend and musician, makes a return visit, and Andy Cawthon will prepare a meditation to share.

📍 Location: Central Park Place, Mackinaw Ballroom, 421 Columbus Ave, Grand Haven)

⏰  Pre-Talk: 9 a.m. | Main Gathering: 10 a.m. | C3 Kids: 10 a.m.–Noon

💬  Talk Back: After the Gathering until Noon

📺  Livestream on our Facebook page 

🆕  Brad Ruggle’s email: What We Get Wrong About Feminine Energy with Beth Buelow

🆕  Last Week’s Teaching and Meditation

C3 News

🆕  Tabitha Blanski’s Film Selected for a Film Festival!

Tabitha’s short film Reincarnate (10 minutes) has been selected for the Capital City Film Festival on Saturday, April 5, 3:30 p.m. It’s Tabitha’s first film festival and she would love to see you there (at Impression 5 Expansion, 220 Museum Drive, Lansing, MI 48933). Her short film will play before the documentary True Believer. Tickets are $5 and available at the theater.

C3 Kids Helper Sought

One more adult volunteeer is needed for the C3 Kids program. This will get us to a three-month rotation. More people means even more time between turns! And you don’t have to be a parent. We are happy to have community members help out. Miss Mary does the teaching and helpers play games, color, and do crafts. Think of it as your play time. 😀

    Post-Gathering Announcements 📣 

    If there is something you would like to have announced at the end of the Gathering, please talk with the Gathering Host before the Gathering begins and let them know. They may make the announcement themself or ask you to come forward to do so.

    News from the Board of Trustees

    The Board of Trustees meets the fourth Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the C3 Office location. These meetings are open to C3 members.  The next meeting is on March 27.

    Have You Read the Strategic Plan?

    You can read the C3 strategic plan here.

    Outreach

    Open Invitation to C3 Outreach Meeting

    Wonderful C3 people, you are invited to join us to learn more about exciting ways to put C3 Values into action in the Tri-Cities area. Thank you to those who have already expressed an interest in Outreach. We want to hear your questions, seek new ideas, expand the Outreach team, and invite first-time event volunteers to participate. To get things rolling and organized, please come to the C3 office at the Third Coast building, 1447 Washington Avenue, Grand Haven (just east of Norm’s Ice Cream) on Tuesday, March 25, 6:30 p.m. See Rod Van Abbema and Chrys Moelter-Gray at the Outreach table today after the Gathering for more information.

    Adopt-A-Highway

    Join us for our spring Adopt-A-Highway cleanup on Saturday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to noon—a great way to celebrate Earth Day week by keeping West Michigan roadways clean! If needed, the rain date is Sunday, April 13, after Talk Back. Sign up anytime via email  (include your name and phone number) or at the Outreach table. [More information and safety video here.]

    Humanity for Prisoners Newsletter

    Click here to read the March edition of HFP Communicator

    Momentum Center Newsletter

    Click here to read the March edition of Gaining Momentum.

    The Diatribe

    Click here to read this month’s news from The Diatribe.

    Care and Concern

    Caring for our C3 community is a shared responsibility. Community Care encourages members to support one another with notes, calls, visits, meals, and transportation.To share life events, illnesses, or hardships—or to request help—contact Cheryl Van Abbema by email or phone.

      • 🆕  Jean King was expected to be admitted to Medi-Lodge in Holland a couple days ago, after spending almost a week at Holland Hospital, dealing with vertigo.
      • Carolyn Taylor had a preventative double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction on Thursday, March 13. She is resting and recuperating at home.

    Groups

      • 🆕  Sunday Night Supper gathers this Sunday at Porto Bello in Grand Haven. Please sign up at the Welcome Table if you intend to come. Cheryl Van Abbema will be making the reservation. There will be discussion about future venues.
      • Women’s Journey celebrates women (as we do every month) at our Women’s Journey meeting on Monday, March 24, 6:30 p.m. at The Bookman. Kerry Fitzgerald leads the program (if she’s feeling well), and we will discuss our upcoming schedule.
      • 🆕  Mindful Living Group was canceled due to illness, but in her email to the group, leader Kerry FitzGerald included a number of resources for participants to use. We wish Kerry a full and speedy recovery, and affirm her decision to take care of herself. Next scheduled session is Wednesday, April 16.
      • C3 Men’s Group meets on Tuesdays from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Choir Room at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Call Phil Koster with questions.
      • 🆕  C3 Book Club and Friends meets again on Tuesday, April 15, 6 p.m. at The Bookman to discuss At Home by Bill Bryson.

    Values in Action

    Community Events for Your Consideration 

    Click on the links for more information.

    Tuesday’s Womanhood event honors the many facets of femininity through dance, poetry, myth, and ritual, offering a rich exploration of strength, vulnerability, fluidity, and authenticity

    Brad Ruggles with John Philip Newell at C3

    Connections ✋

    Make new friends, meet interesting people, tell them about C3! Check out all kinds of activities in the area at the Grand Haven Area Events Calendar, Calendar of Events for All Ages | Loutit District Library, and Spring Lake District Library Calendar.

    Calendar

    Sunday, March 23

    9 a.m. Pre-Talk

    10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Charity McMaster

    10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook

      • Guest Teacher: Tabitha Blanski
      • Music: Jen Sygit
      • Meditation: Andy Cawthon

    11 a.m. Talk Back

     

    Monday, March 24

    6:30 p.m. Woman’s Journey (The Bookman, 715 Washington Ave., GH) 

     

    Tuesday, March 25

    6:30 p.m. Outreach Meeting (C3 Office, 1447 Washington Ave., GH)

    7 p.m. C3 Men’s Group (Choir Room, St. John’s Episcopal Church, GH)

     

    Wednesday, March 26

    6:30 p.m. Board of Trustees Meeting (C3 Office, 1447 Washington Ave., GH)

     

    Sunday, March 30

    9 a.m. Pre-Talk

    10 a.m. C3 Kids with Miss Mary and volunteer Ryan Cotton

    10 a.m. Gathering, In Person + Livestream on Facebook

      • Lead Teacher: Brad Ruggles
      • Music: Rabbit Fur
      • Meditation: Bob Kleinheksel

    11 a.m. Talk Back

    Brad Ruggles (he/him) joined C3 as Lead Teacher in May 2024. He is a former pastor that deconstructed and later left the faith he was raised in after 18 years in ministry. He and his wife Lisa enjoy adventuring and traveling with their two adult daughters. Brad’s interests are diverse and include backpacking, meditation, breathwork, yoga, sport kiting, and photography.

    Rabbit Fur consists of Rebecca Rodriguez and Aaron Ekins, who are former members of the long running pop band The Icicles. They’ve left pop in the shadows with their new band, Rabbit Fur. Joined by Anne LaGrand on cello and Matt Reidsma on mandolin, Rabbit Fur create somber, dark folk music played with classical guitar, bass, dreamlike vocals and thoughtful sentiments.

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